Coupling for conduit parts



`Fam. 26, 1954 P c. HQLTE COUPLING FOR CONDUIT PARTS Filed June l5, 1950 Patented Jan. 26, 1954 coUrLINGFoR coNnm'r PARTS Y Paul C. Holte, Canton, Mass.,v ass'ignor to Pullman Vacuum Cleaner"Corporation;Boston,A Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 13, 1950, seia1Na 167,765

My present invention relates to couplings and particularly to couplings for use in detachably connecting such conduit parts as, for example, vacuum cleaners and their hoses.

v While other uses of couplings in accordance with my invention will suggest themselves, particular reference is made to their use in connection with vacuum cleaners where there has long been a demand for a tight coupling, the parts of which may be pushed together to connect the parts effectively, and which is adapted to Withstand the substantial strains that result even from the normal use of a vacuum cleaner and, at the same time, is capable of being quickly and easily released.

In accordance with my invention, I provide couplings which meet those generally indicated requirements. Each of my couplings consists of first and second tubular members. The rst member has a head dimensioned to t freely within the mouth of the second member and has an annular groove. A sleeve, which includes an annular locking flange, is resiliently connected to the rst member to slide rearwardly from a position in which its locking flange is operative. The second member has a plurality of locking elements movable from a first position in which they are spaced apart to receive the head into a second position in which they are entrant of the annular groove of the'head. When the locking elements enter` that groove and the locking ange is in its operative position, the locking flange holds the locking elements securely against movement into their first position to effect a secure coupling between the members while enabling them to be easily pulled apart simply by withdrawing the locking flange from its operative position.

ionims. (Claim-'16s) In practice, the locking members are wedged l into their rst position by the head as it enters the second member and in their rst position, the locking members are exposed to be engaged by the locking ila-nge. lIhus, as the first and second members are pushed together, the sleeve is readily forced rearwardly until the locking members may enter the annular head groove to enable the resilient connection between the sleeve and the rst member to be eifective to seat the locking members in that groove and to return the locking flange to its operative position in which the locking members are held seated in the head groove. While the first and second members may be coupled tightly together simply by pushing them together, they can not be pulled apart until the sleeve is manually retracted to position the locking flange inoperatively.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown an illustrative embodiment' of my invention from which these and other of its novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, in elevation, of a coupling in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is va section along the lines 2 2 yof Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary section showing the sleeve retracted, and Q Fig. Vl is a section; along the lines 4 4 of Fig.`2."Y

In the drawings, I have indicatedgenerally at 5 and 6 the tubular membersby which the suction or vacuum hose 'i is connected to the vacuum cleaner, indicated at 8. In theillustrative embodiment of my invention, the hose] is connected to the member 5 which has a hose retaining bead 9 and a flange I0 against Awhich'` the attached end of the hose 'I is seated, while the member 6 has a flange II by which it is secured to the vacuum cleaner 8. I provide the member 5 with a head I 2 dimensioned to t freely within the member 6 and having an annular 'groove' I3 and aninwardly curved extremity I4 to facilitate its entrance into the member ,6. Fast on the member 5V are a pair of spaced retainers I5 4and I6 for the spring Il.

A sleeve I8 is shown as having spaced shoulders I9y and 20 and a forwardly disposed, annular, locking flange 2I The shoulder I9 is engaged by the spring Il' to be yieldably seated thereby against the retainer I5 which functions as a stop to establish an operative positionV for the locking ange 2 I. f

The member 6 has a plurality of locking ele ments 22 movable between a rst position in which they are spaced apart to receive the head I2 and a second position in which the elements 22 are entrant 0f the groove I3 and when the elements 22 are thus located and the locking flange 2i is in its operative position, -the ele"- ments 22 are locked to securely interconnect the members 5 and 6. The members 5 and 6 maybe easily disconnected simply by drawing back the sleeve I8 against the action of the springvv Il to release the locking elements 22 so that they may return into their first position as the members 5 and 6 are pulled apart. The members 5 and 6 may be as easily interconnected as with the vsleeve I 8 held back `to position the locking flange 2l inoperatively, the head I2 may be readily inserted into thev member 6 to 'carry the locking members 22 into their rstV position until they enter the groove I3. When the sleeve I8 is released, the locking ange 2| is returned by the spring I'I to hold the elements 22 in the groove I3. As will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3, the locking flange 2| terminates in a bead 23 which functions to force the locking members 22 inwardly. I

It will be appreciated from the drawings that one of the important features of my invention is that it provides a coupling that becomes posi; tively locked simply by pushing the members 5 and 6 together. To accomplisl'nthatliiesult, l provide that the locking members V22 lareforced into and held in their first positionf by; the" head I2 until they may enter thehead groove Ijand in that first position, the loclgingmembers 22 are exposed to be engaged by'l thlocking flange 2l so that as the members 5 and 6 are pushedtogether, the sleeve I8 isforced rearwardly until the locking member 22'may enter the groove I3 when the spring Ilbecom'es effectivet'o drive vthe sleeve lforvvardly4 to position its looking flange 2`I'to seat' the locking members 22 in the glQOYe I3 and to lock them in that'seatedpojsition.

While the lockingmembers 22"'may be of any type, I'prefer that they be balls and that the member G be inthe form of; ahollowshellhous'- inga ring 24 with the member 5 and the ring24 being radially vapertured,to loosely confine the balls so that they may prctrudeto enter the groove I34 in their second position and still be exposed for engagement' bythe locking flange 2i. A furtheradvantage resulting from the use' of balls for the lockingI members 22 is that the member 5. may be rotated relative jto the member, e thusensuring, in` use, that the hose I can not be.- come kinked. ."s wi'llfbe'v apparent from Fig. 2, the retainer I5 is so spaced relative tdthe groove I3 ..that it seats .on the extremity of the member I5 when the, members 5 and 6 are coupled together thereby to provide a seal against airlossand preferably the head.v I2 ,is dimensionedv relativeI toggthe member 6. so that, in ftheA assembledoo upling, its extremity is substantially. flush-withv the lflange From the foregoing, it will bel apparent that couplings, in accordance with my invention, are

Weuldaptd combine simplicity o f construction and maximum ease of operationA with security against accidentalrelease and -tightness against air leakage in use..

4 What Ithereforev claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, 1. A couplingfor use in connecting a vacuum hose to a vacuum cleaner, said rcoupling comprising rst .and second tubular members "toene of whichy saidhose .is 'lto be connected, and the otherof 4which ,S to be connectedtosaid cleaner,

said, first member including a` pair of axially spaced retainers and a head f iimensioned4 tot freely within saidsecond member'and having an annular groove, a sleeve including a shoulder disposed between saidretainers and anannular lockingfiange, a springl surrounding said first member and backed `by therearmostretainer to establish a slidable connection betweenlsaid first member and said sleeve and `engagim; said shoulder tov yieldably seat said shoulderv against the foremost retainer to maintain said locking fia-nge in an operative pcsition,.andY a plurality ofballs carried by said second member for radial Amovementbetween a firsty position in, which,1hey are to meetall requirements forv they spaced apart to receive said head and a second position in which they are entrant of said groove, said locking member holding said balls against movement towards their first position when in its operative position.

2. The coupling of claim 1 in which the foremost retainerconstitutes va seat .and the second member 4has anfannulagr extremity en gageable with the seat when said'locks are entrant of the groove.

`3. A coupling comprising first and second tubularmembers', said rst member including a pair of fixed ,agially spaced and outwardly directed retainers, and a head dimensioned to t freely within.saidfsecondmember and having an annular groove, the foremost retainer being engageable-withJ the received end of said second membei?, aqslleeve slidable on said first member and including a shoulder disposed between said retainers and an annular lockingnflange, a spring surrounding y.said lfirst member' andiback'edY by thejrearmost retainer and engaging'-said Vshoulder tol yieldablyseat said shoulder against the foremost retainer tofmaintain said locl :i'ng' flange in, `an operativeposition, and a plurality of balls carried by said second member for radial movement between a` rst position in which'they'fare spaced apart to receive. said head and a second positionA in which theyarefentrant' of said groove, said locking flange being. dimensioned te receive thejball carrying Iend of saidsecond member and v'rlvinsthe arbore"andlhldinaad balls against movementftoward's,their first position when in its operative'pos ition v l fl. A coupling comprising lijst'f-and second tubular members, said'flrst'memberlincluding Va pairof iixed 4axially',s'pace'dand 'outwardly directedretainers and ahead dimensionfed ,tozslidably t within the bore} of said secondmember and having ra recess ,intermediatelthe ends thereof, the. foremost retainer being`- er'igageablev with the receivedend o f said second memb'enasleve s lidable, on s aidvffirst member and including A a shoulder disposed between said 'retainers' `'and an annular lockinganeafa spring surroundigsaid firsty memblerlan'd backed vby theflearmostretainerfand engaging said shoulder '.t'o" yieldably Seatsaid sh'oiilfde'rv against the' fcrenostrtain'er to maintain said Vlockingflange' in yan AAperatl/e l13osition, and a.olete' r 1`, t element 'carried said secondmember forradial movementfbetween a nrst; po'siton in .which 'sadfy detentis 4elliliel'y outsidethe bore of saidv second member and projects outwardly of, sai`d second member td receive said head andna secondpositionin which said. detent is partially within said bore toI `enter said recess, said locking flange being ,dim'ensioned to ,slidably receivemth'e datentA4 carryingv end of saidsecond member and to Aoverlie, the recessA and @q heidsaid dezent against; movement towards its first vpcyisiti'iri when in ,said 'operative position,

i References cited' in the le 'ef thisy patera f UNITED arnesi-Arens Number l Namey Date 921,691 Friday May 18, 1909 1,830,480 Myers Nov 3, 19.31 2',G6 2v,62 8 Yannetta Dec. l, 1936 2,159,242 Yanagi, May 23, 1939 2,413,730 Samiran -1 Jan. .7, 1947 2,429,202 Etij1 1. oet. 21, 1942 2,473,973 ,srieiwer June 21; 19.219 

